True Colors
by Kristanci
Summary: Shepard and Garrus are chosen to become living proof to the galaxy that humans and turians can work together as an effective team. However, their spectacle stopped being for show long before they realize and true feelings begin to emerge. FemShepxGarrus
1. Just For Show

I know I have several stories out there that need to be completed, but my mind and fingers are currently stuck on Mass Effect. I've been reading many stories on here, and I've noticed that a lot of them revolve around the dialogue and events straight from the game. I am hoping to create something a little more original to spice things up. I can only hope that I do the characters justice.

Like this needs to be written … but I do not own Mass Effect or anything affiliated to Bioware. Just the pattern of the words. Enjoy everyone.

Captain Anderson let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose attempting to ease the pain that was slowly spreading to his temples. How he had ever remotely believed that any conversation he would have with Ambassador Udina would be civil was just foolish. "My crew is not for show, Ambassador," he stated firmly.

And of course, Udina completely ignored his retort. "Think of it Anderson. What better way to enforce an alliance between human and alien?" The sparkle in Udina's eyes reminded Anderson of a small child believing that he came up with a brilliant idea and nothing in the world could show him otherwise.

"There are more important things we can be doing. Stopping pirates, slavers... this entire spectacle is a waste of time. And have you considered the consequences should either side win? The relationship between turian and human is strained enough as it is."

"But that is the beauty of it!" Udina exclaimed, pointing a finger in the air. "Two teams, both mixed with turian and human, soldier and biotic forced to work together. What better way to prove to the public that these races can work as one?"

Anderson slammed his hand on Udina's desk, nearly knocking over Udina's coffee. "That is why the SSV Normandy was created. She is the first step illustrating the beginning of a relationship between turian and human. But this! You are moving too fast. My crew can barely tolerate being in the same room with a turian that's standing still. What makes you think any of them would rely on a turian as a squadmate?"

"This is much bigger than the feelings of a few from your crew, captain," Udina said, eyes narrowing. "Humanity has been held back for far too long. We must show the entire galaxy what we are made of."

Captain Anderson leaned back in chair, hardly enjoying the full-blown headache that now pulsed with his every heartbeat. "If any blood is shed, it is on your hands. And I will not force any of my crew to join. They must volunteer."

Udina gave him a sly smile. Anderson wished he could punch it off of the ambassador's face. One of these days. "Anderson, you don't really believe I'd put our men in danger? You needn't worry. Live ammunition will not be allowed."

The captain let out another sigh wondering what he did to piss God off so badly that he had to introduce Udina into his life. "Well, one thing is for certain… I need to talk to Shepard about this."


	2. Filling the Roster

**Hello everyone. I realized that this genre is not my forte, and I am fairly new to the Mass Effect world, so I will apologize in advance for any inconsistencies. I am trying my best to keep everything realistic in the ME world, but there's only so much information I can cram and retain in my head. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and that you will stay tuned for more. **

Executive Officer Lia Shepard waited patiently as Captain Anderson explained the specifics of Udina's grand idea. Her bright green eyes were fixated on the invitation before her illustrated by her Omni-tool. The orange letters glowed brightly requesting her presence in a friendly team match that was disguised as a charity event. An aggravated growl from Anderson forced her to direct all of her attention back to the captain.

Part of her agreed with Anderson and the other part was forcing her lips to not turn up in a smile. Whenever it came down to Udina and Anderson, sparks would fly in random directions and it was a nonstop battle between the two. In her honest opinion, Udina's idea was quite intriguing though the timing of it wasn't the best. "And the Council supports this?" she asked after Anderson managed to come to a halt.

"Support?" Anderson asked incredulously. "They're backing the entire event." The captain's brow was caught in what Shepard called a "perma-scowl" and it didn't seem like his face would relax anytime in the near future.

Shepard leaned back slightly, her lips inevitably turned up into a small smile. "It sounds fun," she admitted. As expected, she was rewarded by a surprised laugh from the captain.

"Only you would think so, Shepard," Anderson said, but he shook his head in disbelief. "I told Udina that any participants from us would be volunteers. However…" he trailed off and Shepard knew that look all too well. He was worried.

"You want me in?" Shepard offered.

Anderson stood from his chair and began to pace throughout the debriefing room. "I do, and for good reason, Shepard. I will not go back on my word and it is strictly your choice if you want to volunteer, but I trust you and if we need to supply human contestants, I would like only the best out there. There are too many factors at play here, and things could go wrong in the blink of an eye."

Shepard was amused, but she had to consider all the variables of this little publicity stunt. If she would take the number one spot on one of the teams, that meant she would be leading turian soldiers. She had gone through a great deal in her short life: surviving Mindoir, going through the hardships of her L3 implants, and the Blitz… but not once has she been asked to lead a team of aliens. And she was all too familiar about the lingering tensions between the two races. Shepard never bore any ill will toward turians, but she couldn't very well anticipate how her turian squadmates would view her. "Will this affect my Spectre candidacy?" she asked in a serious tone. This was something else she had to consider.

Anderson gave her a seemingly proud smile. "Were I in your shoes, every action I'd take, televised or not, would be to succeed in obtaining Spectre status. Again, I trust you, and I know you will not let me or your team down. I understand that this will be a very taxing test for you."

"No pressure there," Shepard said with a chuckle. "Do we have any information on the team I will be assigned to?"

Anderson shook his head in frustration. "None. However, I do know that both teams will consist of both turian and human. As I am sure you will be leading one of the teams, you will have the ability to choose one human squadmate, but three turians will be assigned to your team. And it will be the exact opposite for Team 2."

"Three humans will be under the leadership of a turian," Shepard finished. Anderson nodded in confirmation. "Well, this could easily be a successful step in improving foreign relations or the biggest treat we can toss to the media if this goes belly up. Weapons and strategy aren't the challenge here, it's the racism."

"I truly hope I am not setting you up," Anderson said, clearly irritated. "Udina doesn't see the potential hazard this can create; he only has his eyes on the prize if it goes well."

Shepard could only agree, but deep down she didn't want to back away from the challenge. If she proved successful, it would certainly boost humanity's reputation with the alien races. The Normandy was a unique gift, and since it hadn't suspiciously failed on them or suddenly blown up meant that the Council was sincere in considering humanity's advancement in society. Hell, she could remember receiving the confirmation of her Spectre candidacy. She vowed that day to do everything she could to improve humanity's reputation. "Well, let's just make sure everything goes well then," Shepard said with certainty.

C-Sec Officer Garrus Vakarian kept quiet as he observed his comrades bickering amongst each other. The C-Sec offices were filled with alarmed and concerned turians alike within a matter of minutes of receiving their personal messages. While the invitations to the "Second Contact Exhibition" were received by many of his kind, they were not necessarily accepted. Whoever thought that the restricted number of participants would be filled in an instant thought wrong. When his eyes scanned the words of the invitation that was waiting for him on his personal terminal, his gut reaction was to accept the challenge without a second thought. However, he learned quickly that it was best to keep that particular opinion to himself.

A fellow turian raised his long arms in the air in exasperation. His eyes narrowed and with a couple of clicks on his Omni-tool, it was fairly obvious that the message containing his invitation was deleted. "What a laughing stock," he said. "I'd rather process paperwork for a month than take orders from a human."

"Calm down, Kuran," sighed another turian officer. "How bad can it possibly be? Regardless of what team you're on, you'll be competing against humans.

"I know that, Tanis," Kuran snapped. "But I'll be damned if I'm going to be ordered around by a … flesh bag. Who do they think they are? We are by far superior to them in strength and military discipline."

Garrus sighed and reverted his eyes back to his invitation, attempting to ignore the debate between his comrades. He wondered what compelled the Council to resort to such a tactic, but he had a distinct feeling that much of it had to do with a fairly well-known name that was part of the human roster.

_Team A:_

_Slot 1) Executive Officer Lia Shepard of the SSV Normandy._

_Slot 2) Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko of the SSV Normandy_

_Turian counterparts: TBD_

At best, he was curious to see Shepard in action. Regardless of their opinion on humans, Shepard was quite popular amongst the turian race, even more so as she was being considered to become a Spectre. Details weren't widely known about her personal life, but most knew about the honors that were bestowed upon her early in her military career. He didn't even know what she looked like, but her accomplishments alone peaked his curiosity. "I'm in," Garrus stated, effectively stopping any argument that currently filled the C-Sec office.

"Really, Vakarian?" Tanis questioned with amusement. "No extra consideration needed on your part?"

Garrus stood, ignoring the numerous stares being cast his way. "None. I need to keep my skills sharp. Those selected will be going up against the very best. I don't know about you, but I'm a little bored with arresting the common criminal." He felt the eyes on his back as he exited the office, but his mind was set on engaging Shepard and her team. His talons were itching to use his sniper rifle again even if it was for show. For once in a very long time, things were going to get pretty interesting.


	3. First Encounter

**Here I am trying to make up for the first chapter. Hope you're in for a few because this one is a little bit longer than the first two. Again, not sure about the proper terminology for parts of this chapter, but I hope that it does not take away from the overall experience of the read. Enjoy. **

Shepard did as she was directed and stood completely still allowing the assistant "smither" to measure various lengths of her body. Currently, Liana Peterson was measuring Shepard's almost bare hips and legs. Here Shepard was standing in just a black sports bra and black under armor shorts. Thanks to years in training with the Alliance, soldiers weren't given the luxury to be shy about their bodies. She had shared quarters with other soldiers since day one in the military, and every one of them had to be ready at a moment's notice to start training. Regardless if you were naked, in your underwear or in casual dress, within two minutes your ass better be in uniform and ready to start the day.

She spent the last hour with Liana going over calibrations and configurations for her custom made armor. Now Liana was going over final measurements and specifications that would cater to Shepard's physical frame.

"I have to say…" Liana said, eyes still focused on the numbers being transmitted to her glowing charts, "you're quite fit, Officer Shepard. I wish I had your numbers."

Shepard chuckled, but her mind was drifting to the information that Anderson had sent her earlier. She had received intel on the turians that were assigned to her team. Their dossiers were impressive and she was looking forward to working together with them. She just hoped that they would be willing to actually use the skills and talents they possessed under her direction. "Thank you, ma'am," Shepard said politely.

Liana laughed. "You should relax, Officer Shepard. We're all rooting for you, and we know you'll do us proud. If you don't know already, many of us are honored to witness you in action."

"Thank you, ma'am," Shepard repeated with a smile. Though she wasn't one to accept compliments well, they did make her feel good during the times her nerves took over. She allowed Liana to maneuver her body as she saw fit, and right now Shepard was trying to balance herself on one foot.

"Liana is fine. I am quite ecstatic that I was asked to design the armor your team will be displaying in the event. Black armor with red markings will look absolutely striking on you," Liana sighed dreamily.

"You seem to really enjoy your job," Shepard observed. She also took note of people who were very passionate about their career or talents. There was always a rewarding and comforting feeling that washed over her when she talked to people who were just happy in general. With everything she had seen in her life, it was a nice break in the monotony of military life.

Liana looked up from Shepard's feet, looking contemplative, temporarily stopping their fitting session. She sat back and her eyes seemed to drift off. "I suppose I do," the smither admitted. She became quiet, and her expression was one that Shepard recognized on those that had gone through a great deal of turmoil in their past. A few seconds passed before Liana continued. "I do actually," she began, "love my job. I want to create something that protects people. Many years ago, I lost my father. He was an Alliance soldier. I won't get into the details, but he was ambushed and his equipment failed him. There was a defect and his shields weren't working properly. He never stood a chance."

Shepard knelt down and placed a hand on Liana's shoulder. She knew exactly what it felt like to lose family. And there were no words that could be exchanged to lessen the pain, the hurt. No amount of "I'm sorry" helped, so Shepard stayed quiet.

Liana continued, "when I found out, I made it sort of a life's goal to ensure any soldier that wore something I made would have a fighting chance against their enemies."

Shepard squeezed Liana's shoulder trying to express a level of gratitude. "Well, take it from me Liana, I am proud that I will be wearing one of your creations."

Liana perked up, and her eyes become much brighter. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and jumped to her feet, clapping her hands. "I won't disappoint you, Shepard!" Liana walked over to the floating displays that showed a generic feminine body wrapped in numbers, lines, and graphs. "I was also instructed to explain the nature of your armor as well."

Shepard lifted her hand, giving Liana the floor. It did her heart good to see a cheerful change in Liana's demeanor. She listened to Liana's explanation and silently began comparing notes, working out possible strategies to use against Team B.

"This armor will likely only be worn once as it will be custom made to accommodate the simulated battles of the event. It will never hold up in actual combat. As you know, live ammunition is not permitted. Instead, both teams will be equipped with specially made shock-weapons. The performance of the shields in your custom armor act no differently than the ones you are accustomed to in live combat. They can only take so much damage. However, if your shield is brought to 0%, it will not regenerate until the next round."

"Anything else?" Shepard asked, storing the information in the back of her mind. While the knowledge of the armor restrictions was important, it was near impossible to determine how effective it will be without knowing a layout of the battlegrounds and what weapons would be used.

"Yes," Liana nodded, pointing to the one of the displays. The measurement chart disappeared and was replaced by a miniature version of a fully armored Shepard. "Once shields are down, your armor will be vulnerable in the following areas." Liana pointed to the head, both shoulders and both knees of the display. "Direct hits to the points of the body will render that limb useless, and a direct shot to the head is an instant kill."

"So… the armor will lock up?" Shepard asked.

"Yes. So long as you have not endured a killshot, you will remain active. Your team members will be allowed to "revive" you simply by touching your armor. I suppose it is similar to the scenario of activating the Medi-Gel function on your Omni-Tool. All members of your team share a connected network, if you will, and any armor that is considered active may revive a fallen team member. And before you ask, should you touch the armor of an immobilized member of the opposite team, that is also considered an instant kill in your favor."

"Well, I suppose if you're that close to the enemy and they're unable to defend themselves, that's pretty much staring death in the face," Shepard said thoughtfully. She felt Liana lift both of her elbows, and begin measuring her waist and bust. Shepard stared at her digital twin. Her armor wasn't bulky by any means and she was grateful. She relied heavily on her agility and speed.

"Officer Shepard?" Liana asked, now carefully measuring Shepard's backside.

"Yes?"

"What do you think of the turians you will be competing against?" Liana asked in a hushed voice.

Shepard pursed her lips and blew out a breath, almost successfully blowing a raspberry. It was uncharacteristic of her, but it was how she felt at her core. "On which team?"

"That bad, huh?"

The Executive Officer of the SSV Normandy successfully completed over a hundred missions from arresting war criminals to stopping drug lords and weapons suppliers, and each time she knew she had an excellent team to back her up. But now, she was at a loss. "I trust Alenko," she started. "I asked him to back me up on this one because he's a biotic as well. Turians aren't known for biotic abilities, so I think we would be evenly balanced with three exceptionally experienced ground soldiers."

Liana lightly grabbed Shepard's hands and indicated that she wanted Shepard to hold her arms straight out in front of her. Shepard complied while Liana asked, "the dossiers of your turian squadmates only contained statistics then? No personality traits of any kind?"

"Correct. The only thing I can use to my advantage is military discipline. Hopefully, the need to be a efficient team will outweigh any possible animosity my team members may have." Shepard wracked her brain, trying to remember key points of the three mysterious members that would complete her team.

She closed her eyes and envisioned the three turians she read about hours earlier.

_C-Sec Officer Tanis Velkin: _

_Efficient in hand to hand combat_

_Exceptional marksman with the sniper rifle_

_Known for efficiently taking down assigned targets_

_NCO Qurin Talik: _

_Nine years of field experience_

_Evenly balanced in all military standard issued weapons_

_Ability to quickly assess and resolve combat situations_

_Officer Varian Raen _

_Five years front line service _

_Specializes in pistol and shotguns_

_Can immobilize a geth destroyer within 30 seconds_

All had impressive records and if everything was in black and white, they would be welcome additions to the team. Too bad everything that she was thrown in came in a shade of gray.

XXXXXXXXXX

Garrus stared into Lieutenant Alenko's light brown eyes. An awkward moment passed before Garrus' eyes traveled to the lieutenant's extended hand. He had to remind himself that this was a human gesture, a greeting of sorts. "Likewise, lieutenant," Garrus answered though he did not accept Alenko's hand. "You will have to forgive my lack of… manners." Garrus held up his own three taloned hand, gesturing that connecting with a human phalanges would be most awkward.

Alenko pulled his hand back and thankfully did not appear offended. "You're not assigned to Team A," the biotic stated. "I don't recognize your face."

Garrus shook his head, but he made it a point to not lose eye contact with his competition. He stood at the very least six inches taller than the human biotic, but he could easily tell that Alenko was not so easily intimidated and that pleased him. He had no desire to compete against cowards. "I am not," Garrus said. "And don't worry, I'm not here to spy. I only meant to introduce myself to Executive Officer Shepard and her teammates. She has quite the reputation."

He knew that Alenko was summing him up, judging his motives for showing up unannounced in Shepard's territory. The Council had offered both teams separate and closed off areas of the Citadel to prepare for the upcoming exhibition though there were no rules stating that either team could not cross paths with one another.

"She does," Alenko said finally. He brought up his arm, using his thumb to point behind him. "Actually, I was going to see her. She's with the smither right now going over designs for the armor we're supposed to be sporting for the crowd." He gestured for Garrus to follow him.

"I hope they're flashier than ours," Garrus chuckled. "Our colors clash with my markings. I look like an aquarium." Alenko responded with a laugh. He followed Alenko up to the second floor of the Presidium. On occasion, they passed by several being of all races that offered luck or support. Garrus politely waved off each passerby saying a "thank you" here or a "I'm looking forward to it" there.

Minutes later they reached a long hallway, and Garrus was thankful that the portion of these offices were closed off to the public. Alenko continued to lead him, and Garrus obediently followed wondering how he should greet Shepard. Turians didn't salute and they didn't shake hands. What would be an acceptable greeting to her? He didn't want to seem rude or disrespectful as he sincerely wanted to meet such an acclaimed hero to the human species.

"She should be in here," Alenko said as they approached the end of the hallway. Garrus nodded as he watched the lieutenant punch in a keycode. His mind still wandered. Would she be irritated that he showed up? They weren't enemies, but he was her opponent. She could be quite a competitor. Perhaps he should open with a polite apology. He remembered the small picture of Lia Shepard attached to the dossier sent to him yesterday.

He didn't necessarily have a habit of studying human features, but hers were unique. Light skin, dark hair, piercing green eyes, and the remnants of a scar that stretched from the bridge of her nose to the side of her face. He imagined those light colored eyes narrowing in agitation. Maybe it wasn't a good idea that he was here after all. A slight bow of the body was a universal sign of respect. Perhaps, he should start with that as soon as he was face to face with her.

The doors to the smither's office opened allowing him and Alenko to enter. "Shepard-" Alenko started, but he was quickly shut up. He swiftly turned about face and stepped back outside into the hallway.

Garrus was now staring at the back of a barely clothed petite feminine figure. He didn't realize humans were so… smooth. The human woman before him had her arms stretched out above her head. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail revealing even more thin scars across her shoulders. Her black undergarments were a large contrast to her light skin and that color combination was pleasing to most races.

At the mention of her name, Shepard turned and her eyes caught his. Garrus saw her muscles tighten slightly in surprise, but she forced herself to keep her composure. "Alenko," she greeted with a nod. Garrus glanced at the lieutenant and was amused to find that he still had his back to Shepard and just grunted a pitiful "evening, Shepard."

"I don't believe we've met," Shepard said to Garrus without missing a beat.

Garrus turned his attention back to her, impressed that she was able to maintain a cool façade despite her situation. He wasn't quite sure, but he believed that this scenario was considered compromising in human culture. The smither was suspiciously tending to paperwork on her desk, keeping her back turned to the trio for longer than necessary. "Garrus Vakarian," he said to Shepard, leaning forward slightly. He was content to see that Shepard nodded to him, apparently accepting his greeting.

"Are you leading Team B?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She shifted her weight to her right leg, appearing almost natural. How interesting that Alenko was downright embarrassed, but here was Shepard, confident and fearless, in nothing but her underwear.

"I am not," Garrus answered. "To be honest, they haven't even told us yet who would be in charge of our squad. I merely wanted to express… what it is that you humans call it… sportsmanship. You have an unprecedented reputation and I am satisfied knowing that my skills will be tested against the best that humanity has to offer."

She cocked her head to the side and flashed him a genuine smile. "I'm happy to hear that." She took several steps toward him and placed her hand on his shoulder momentarily. Her tiny pale hand balled and she lightly tapped her chest with her fist.

"You're familiar with turian culture," he said, impressed. What a strange human, knowledgeable, but strange. It was the first time he had ever encountered a human that was willing to set aside her own traditions for the sake of making the other party more comfortable. He found the gesture endearing and he was glad to have taken the time to meet her.

"A bit," she smiled again. "However," she gestured toward Alenko, "in human culture, it's improper for a man to see a woman for the first time in nothing but a bra and under armor."

"My apologies, Officer Shepard," Garrus said taking a step back and giving another respectful bow. "I was not aware that my presence was making everyone uncomfortable."

She held her up her hand. "Nothing to apologize for. Just next time, bring a bottle of wine." He had no idea how to react and he wasn't sure what kind of expression he had on his face, but she laughed and the sound was pleasing to his ears. "See you on the field, Garrus Vakarian." Shepard waved and then the door slid shut.


	4. Team B

**So I have that feeling where I have to constantly write down all the ideas that are going through my head. And if I don't, I feel agitated all day. It's been a while since I busted out so many updates but man it feels good to get these out. I swear the next chapter will contain some real action. Enjoy! **

Tanis Velkin made his way to Officer Shepard's workstation. He, Qurin and Varian had received a message from Shepard, requesting their presence for a meeting. Tanis wondered how long it would be before they were obligated in indulging the human with a meet and greet, and Shepard showed that she was not one to waste time. He liked that.

The offices in the Presidium were fairly calm though many were hustling to complete final preparations for the exhibition tomorrow. Assistants were constantly manning communication terminals booking reservations for arena seating or room accommodations. Fellow turians would give Tanis a curt nod, silently wishing him good luck.

The office Shepard was holed up in wasn't one of the more extravagant ones Tanis noted. Her door was unlocked and he easily stepped inside her office when the sliding door allowed him complete passage. Qurin and Varian were already present and so was Shepard's supposed second in command.

"Nice of you to join us, Officer Velkin," said a voice from his right. He turned to see a slender human female approach him. So this was Lia Shepard. She was small, almost fragile looking, but then again that's how every human appeared. She locked eyes with him, and there was no denying the confidence that she held in her ability to lead a team. There was no fear or uncertainty, or perhaps she was just very capable of putting up a good show. Her expression was friendly. "I was just going over some of the specifics of the exhibition with your comrades."

"Please, continue," Tanis said, nodding to Shepard. She seemed to appreciate the gesture.

With a wave of her hand, her work terminal brought up a map showing the perimeter of the Citadel Arena. Within those margins, he saw blueprints for a five level structure on the far side of the arena and the ground level was littered in obstacles and various points of reference. "Gentlemen, as you know we will be engaged by a five member team nearly identical to our own, except that Team B's leader is still unknown. Details of what we will be facing other than our opponents is also unknown; however, I was told that the point of interest seen here," Shepard said, pointing to the dots on the map, "indicate some form of aid that is beneficial to either team. Weapon recharge stations, additional weaponry, what have you."

Shepard held her hands behind her back and gave a questioning stare to the three turians. "I won't lie," she said in a serious tone. "My concern isn't the lack of talent on this team. My concern is whether you three will be giving me a hundred percent."

Tanis glanced to his fellow turians and they responded with a curious expression. When they didn't respond verbally, Shepard continued. "You all volunteered, so that tells me that you understand what is being asked of you. I am no expert in reading turian body language, so it is imperative that if any of you have a problem being under the leadership of a human female, you tell me now."

She waited and it was obvious she would not say anything further until they answered her. "You will have no problems from me, Officer Shepard," Tanis said first. Shepard may be a small-framed creature, but she certainly had a fiery spirit. "I considered this opportunity a privilege."

"Same here," Varian followed. The red markings along his ridged jaw turned up slightly. Tanis could tell that Varian was itching for a challenge, and he couldn't blame him. The Citadel was fairly peaceful for the time being, and most of them were stuck on patrol duty or first level investigations. After his invitation was received, Varian signed up immediately after Garrus.

Qurin, unlike most of the military personnel that Tanis crossed paths with, had a quiet but almost playful nature about him. "So long as you don't run us into an obvious ambush, you won't hear anything from me," Qurin said lightly. "I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about."

Tanis observed Shepard's lips twitch upward, and her bright green eyes sparkled. "Fair enough. Well, I hope I don't disappoint," she said, waving her arm again. The map disappeared and now they were looking at five replicas of themselves dressed in custom-made armor. "I trust you all had a chance to test out your armor?" They all nodded. "Excellent. Both Alenko and I have biotic capabilities, but Alenko will act as support more than anything. Should you need back up or extra protection, he's your go to guy."

Lieutenant Alenko stepped forward and saluted the three turians. "I will not let you down," he stated.

Shepard locked eyes with Tanis again. "You know the conditions for victory. If your opponent is down, I wont' stop you from doing what you do best. But don't take unnecessary chances. I'd like to utilize your skill with the sniper rifle. If we get you set up on high ground, that will be ideal, but I don't want you too far from us in case things get ugly."

Tanis nodded feeling that tickling wave of satisfaction he always got when he made the perfect headshot. "You get their shields taken care of, and I'll do the rest."

"We are familiar with Garrus Vakarian's style of combat," Varian added. "But can you tell us anything about the humans on Team B?"

Shepard frowned and she visibly took a deep breath. "I've only come across two of them in my years with the Alliance. Todd Richards spent several years in the Arcturus Station under the command of Admiral Hackett. He's good with a gun, and he's damn fast. He's not to be taken lightly in any fashion. You give him an inch and he'll take more than a mile."

"Give him an inch of what?" Qurin asked.

"Basically, don't give him any opportunity to take you out," Tanis answered. He had heard the expression several years ago, and he had asked the same question. "And human number two?"

"Anthony Grant, biotic extraordinaire. You get a chance to take him out, you take it. He's spent nearly twenty years perfecting his abilities, and I am not afraid to admit he's one of the best. But Alenko here will give him a run for his money," Shepard said with a smile.

Alenko straightened his posture as Shepard continued with her briefing, completely oblivious to Alenko's change in stature. Tanis noticed an odd expression on the lieutenant's face when Shepard complimented him. Humans were a very odd species. Why bother hiding attraction from one person when you make it so obvious to everyone else? A rhetorical question Tanis filed away in his thoughts for later.

"What about the third human member?" Varian asked.

"Vince Peterson," Shepard said through gritted teeth. She definitely did not look excited about this particular human's participation. "I think he and Grant are wildcards in this whole thing."

"What strengthens your belief?" Tanis asked. He marked Peterson's name in his mind, making sure to pay special attention to this soldier.

"There's no denying Peterson's gifts with a weapon," Shepard said. "He's quite gifted actually. Top of his class for marksmanship, can make short work of most security systems…"

"But?"

"I know for a fact that he and Grant hate turians."

XXXXXXX

"You'll have to teach me that one day," said the human named Todd Richards. Garrus brought his sniper rifle down, relishing the view of the dummy target that now had a whole in its head.

Garrus turned to Richards and nodded. "If you happen to be roaming through C-Sec in the future, I'd be more than happy to give you a few pointers." Richards was a seemingly pleasant human to be around. He just craved knowledge and new experiences. It was part of the reason why he was glad that he chosen to join the exhibition.

"I'll hold you to that, but I'm sure Hackett will have me running all over the galaxy," Richards said, taking his turn on the target range. He whipped out a Cobra Pistol and effortlessly unloaded ten shots into a second dummy target. All ten shots could not have been more than half an inch away from the center of the target.

"Impressive, Richards," Garrus complimented genuinely.

Richards holstered his weapon and turned back to Garrus. The human took one step back instinctively when he saw Garrus once more. " I forget how damn tall you guys can be," he grinned. "I feel dwarfed every time I'm next to a turian."

Garrus found himself enjoying the friendly exchange. He had forgotten that interactions with humans could be pleasant from time to time. Unfortunately, he was always buried in the bureaucratic veil of C-Sec policies. It was draining. In less than 24 hours, he would possibly be having the best sparring match of his life and he considered it a vacation. "Aren't you considered tall for a human?"

Richards shrugged his broad shoulders before running a hand through his sandy blond hair. "I suppose. But if you compare turian and human anatomy, turians will always be the taller of the two."

"Agreed. Officer Shepard seems rather petite for a soldier," Garrus alleged.

"Oh, you met her then?" Richards asked in surprise. "What's she like? I've only heard stories and heard her through a few transmissions Hackett was conveying to the Normandy."

"Um…" Garrus was struggling to sum up his brief encounter with Shepard. "Capable."

"Capable?"

"Experienced? Perhaps, that's not the proper term…" Garrus said thoughtfully.

"Remind me never to set you up on a blind date," Richards chuckled.

Before Garrus could respond, they were approached by the other two members of their team. "Gentlemen," Garrus greeted politely.

"Turian," said the taller of the two. His eyes were similar to Alenko's but they were far les civil.

Richards took a defensive stance. It was subtle, but Garrus noticed the change in demeanor immediately. "Have some respect, Grant," Richards frowned. "We need to be working together. Sides, you could learn a thing or two from this guy."

The second human plastered on a very fake smile and jabbed Garrus in the shoulder lightly. "We're just messing Vakarian," said Peterson. "You don't have to worry about tomorrow. Shepard may be lead, but we can take her down. No way she can fend even two of us off by herself."

"Are you suggesting that because she is female that she will make an easy target?" asked Garrus. He didn't like Grant or Peterson from the moment he met them, and he was sure that he wouldn't like them when they parted ways.

"It's no secret that women are physically weaker than men," Grant said. "Even if she is a biotic, she can easily be overpowered."

"If she's such a weakling, then why is she assisting on a first class prototype Alliance starship featuring state of the art technology backed by the Council and you're here playing tournament games?" Garrus asked, feigning innocence.

Grant whistled. "Ouch, Vakarian," he snickered. He and Peterson seemingly took the hint that their presence was unwelcome and they backed away with those idiotic smiles on their faces.

"The turian has claws… as we well know," Peterson gave Garrus a grin but no part of it was friendly. "Guess we'll wait for our fearless leader to show up tomorrow and we'll wing it from there. See you on the field." Then they were both gone.

Richards placed a sympathetic hand on Garrus' shoulder. "I'm sure every race has them, but I'm fairly certain humans have the biggest assholes in the galaxy."

Garrus' mandibles flared a bit but there was humor in his voice. "You said it, not me."


	5. Round 1

**Whoo hoo! Finally some action! Enjoy guys! And have a safe Halloween! **

"Are we even getting paid for this?" Kaidan asked in irritation. He adjusted his helmet and double checked his weapon. There was a dull roar that could be heard outside their waiting station. They had been going over possible strategies for the last half hour, and slowly the presence of the crowd become more apparent. Liana had verified that their armor was running perfectly. With a wish of good luck, she had left them to check on the other team. Announcements were being made and each one had the crowd cheering louder and louder.

Shepard checked the gauge on her shotgun, ensuring that it was at 100%. "This isn't about monetary value, Kaidan," she said. Numbers and readings filled her visor momentarily, confirming that her shields were up and running in perfect condition. She shouldered her shotgun and made one last test on the elasticity of her armor. The ceramic plating was secure and she was able to move her arms and legs without interference. "Although, I wouldn't mind some shore leave after this."

"You and me both," Kaidan responded.

"Everything good to go with you guys?" Shepard asked over her shoulder.

"Ready," Tanis confirmed.

Qurin gave her a firm nod, and Varian let out an excited growl. "About damn time." Shepard was rather glad that she joined up with them. Their enthusiasm heightened her own energy, and she felt exhilarated. "Glad to have you guys aboard."

"Sounds like they're announcing our names," Kaidan said.

_And for the moment you all have been waiting for! _The crowd cheers became even wilder. _Introducing our first team of combatants! From our very own Security Services, Tanis Velkin! Qurin Talik! Varian Raen! _

As their names were being called, one by one, Shepard's teammates entered the arena and were greeted by a wave of applause. "You ready for this, Shepard?" asked Kaidan, obviously anticipating that his name would be called next.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she answered, keeping her eyes focused on the podium where they were to gather. "In case I haven't said it before… thanks for having my back on this one."

Alenko gave her a very strange look. She had only seen it once since they served on the Normandy together, and she was reluctant on analyzing it. "Any time, Shepard," he said. _Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko! _ Without another word, Alenko was gone. The crowd was now getting restless and she took a moment to gather her thoughts.

The battleground was unknown territory, and Team B could potentially suffer alliance deterioration. Did Team B's leader know about Grant and Peterson? They were a possible threat, and both the leader and Vakarian could possibly be harmed during this so-called friendly competition. Shepard shook her head and forced herself to remain focused. She had her own team to worry about. No one had battle ready weapons and Dr. Chakwas' medical team was standing by in case there was an emergency.

_This impressive team is lead by none other than the Alliance's Favorite Executive Officer… Liaaaaaa Sheparrrrd! _

Shepard let out a slow and easy breath, keeping a steady grip on her shotgun and running a final equipment check in her mind. She stepped out in the arena, barely registering the massive crowd that screamed and yelled her name. Her green eyes scanned the large circular arena. She always thought it should have been named "The Coliseum". Her eyes found her Normandy team and she could barely make out Joker waving at her. She smiled. It was nice to see him out of the pilot seat and enjoying himself for once. _Give em hell! _she read from the motion of lips.

Shepard took her place next to Kaidan. All five of them were fairly stoic, keeping their minds set on the task at hand. They kept their eyes on the opposite end of the arena, waiting for Team B to make their appearance. Shepard's eyes did a quick scan over the large structure that had been erected in the south area of the arena. The battlegrounds were set up like a broken maze. Many paths to take, but no dead ends. The battleground held a lot of cover, but if Vakarian was to nest in the south tower, that could prove detrimental. "Tanis…" she said quietly.

"Yeah, Shepard," the turian answered, keeping his eyes forward.

"Think you can find a home up there before your friend?" she asked.

"He's fast," Tanis admitted. "So do me a favor and slow him down a bit, yeah?"

"You got it," she heard Qurin say with satisfaction.

The noise from the crowd was finally dying down, but it was resurrected the moment the announcer began calling out the names for the second team. It was difficult to make out the figures that were making their appearance in the arena. Shepard took special notice when Vakarian's name was announced.

He had given her a bit of a fright when he showed up in her office, but she forced her nerves to stay put. It was hard enough trying to prove oneself in the military and it was even more difficult to prove yourself to someone of another race that didn't exactly have the best opinion of you. But he surprised her all the same. He was respectful and she believed him when he said he wanted nothing more than to meet her. The blue markings on his face caught her eye, and she wondered where he came from, what brought him to C-Sec… she shook her head. This wasn't a time to be daydreaming.

"And now the cat's out of the bag," Kaidan said, retreating off the podium.

"What?" Shepard asked, following suit.

"You didn't hear that?"

"No, what?"

"They just announced who was leading Team B," Varian said with delight. There seemed to be a mutual respect that was shared between her turian teammates. If she thought they were exicited about the exhibition before, she was wrong. They raised their weapons in what appeared to be an act of honor for Team B's leader.

Shepard realized that the crowd was wild again and round one was about to begin. The podiums lifted, steering clear of the simulated battle that was going to start in roughly two minutes according the large timer located in the center of the arena ceiling. "Who is it?"

Tanis looked very pleased. "Nihlus Kryik."

XXXXXXXXXX

Garrus took immediate cover, barely avoiding the shock rounds that were aimed for his center mass. Twenty seconds into the first round, and Shepard's team had already covered a third of the arena floor. He felt that rush of battle swelling inside of him, and it was a feeling he both missed and relished. He wasn't sure if he was overestimating Shepard, but that wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

She was one of the very best, and he wasn't going to back down. He shot a glance to Nihlus who had signaled for him to stay where he was. Nihlus peered around the low wall of cover he was using only to be greeted by an array of shock pulses. He let out a low laugh, quickly ducking. "She's fun," he said to Garrus. The turian spectre pointed to the right and gave Garrus a slow count. "Now!"

Nihlus covered for Garrus as he made his way to another wall, easily dodging any fire that came his way. Garrus heard Richards not too far from him. "Remind me to choose you for our Hoop Ball team next time!" he shouted to Garrus. He smiled and dared to peek over the waist high wall. Within seconds, he aimed his sniper rifle and focused his scope. He saw Tanis and Qurin quickly covering more ground, and Alenko was a few yards behind them. He focused on Tanis knowing full well the ability that the turian possessed. With a quick pull of his taloned finger, he opened fire on Tanis.

"Got him running, Richards," Garrus reported, still keeping his eyes on his fellow turians. "Your 2 o' clock."

"Got it," Richards said, weapon at the ready.

True to his anticipation, Garrus saw Tanis being filed into a corner, effectively being trapped. In his periph, he saw Shepard coming to Tanis' aid. She was yelling orders to the others while erecting a barrier around herself and Tanis. With a few more shots aimed directly into the center of the barrier, Shepard was very much aware of the position she was in. She apparently had a lot of confidence in the life of her barrier, and bravely aimed her assault rifle in Garrus' direction.

Grant carelessly fired off a few rounds in Shepard's general direction, all the while sporting a very predatory grin on his face. "How shall we take her down, fearless leader?" Grant had asked Nihlus.

Before Garrus could say anything about the degrading manner which Grant had been treating Nihlus with, the turian spectre eyed the biotic and nodded toward the south end of the arena. "Distract her. Do whatever you can to get her shields down, but watch out for the other two turians that are working on the ground."

"You got it, boss," Grant said in a drawl.

"And Grant," Nihlus added. Garrus could hear a very serious tone in the spectre's voice, but he wasn't sure if humans could detect such a tone. "I run a no bullshit squad."

"Noted," was all the human said. Then he and Peterson were off, dodging heavy fire, and covering as much ground as Shepard, Qurin and Varian. It would only be a matter of seconds before they would meet head on.

"This competition is pretty much three against five," Richards observed. "I don't do well with rogue squadmates."

"Agreed," Nihlus said. "So while those two are creating a ruckus, we can flank from the left while Garrus provides support."

"Understood," Garrus said in approval. Same team or not, he would enjoy watching, as humans would say, Shepard kick their asses.

XXXXXXXX

"You know if we had real weapons, this wouldn't be a problem!" Varian shouted over the deafening pops that resonated from the shock waves that were raining down on them.

"Where's Grant and Peterson?" Shepard called out. "I lost visual!" One good shot slammed into her shields, effectively dropping them to sixty percent. She eyed a recharge station about twenty yards from her location. She was running low on ammo, and she couldn't very well afford to get caught like a sitting duck.

"They're making their way toward you, Shepard," she heard Tanis over the comm line. "They're lined up well enough for me, but I don't think I can get a killshot in by the time they reach you."

"Do what you can and we'll take care of the rest," Shepard ordered. "I need cover, Varian!" Her eyes locked with Varian's and he had adjusted his position to compensate for her location. Shepard sprinted, ignoring the shockwaves narrowly missing her, keeping her eyes on the recharge station. There was a faint blue glow emanating from the panel of the station looking as though it was requesting her weapons. She kept her body low when she reached the station and quickly connected her pistol and rifle to it. Her shotgun was still fully loaded, and she kept it close.

_Full charge in twenty seconds_ said the automatic voice.

"That's twenty seconds too long," Shepard frowned. The air around her shifted suddenly and she was trapped in an atmosphere she was all too familiar with. Her heart sped up as she felt the sharp pull of gravity on her then she was off her feet. The dark blue energy filled her vision momentarily before she found threatening brown eyes staring into the visor of her helmet. Still levitated, she realized that her body was now parallel to the ground and Grant had willed her body to remain close to his.

"Fancy meeting you here, Shepard," Grant greeted, using the end of pistol to lift her face to meet his. "I imagine a few more shots at this range and you are as good as mine."

His very existence disgusted her, but she was in no position to risk any smartass comments. Surveying her environment for a moment, she found that her shotgun was about six feet away from her. "Hello, Grant," she said coolly.

'_Qurin and Alenko are on the way. Varian and I are pinned down right now'_ she heard Tanis in her ear.

"I wonder what's going on in that pretty head of yours, Shepard," Grant continued, almost cooing. She felt the strength of his biotic power squeezing her body painfully, but she refused to utter one sound of discomfort. "I owe you for what you did the last time we met," he said, bringing his helmet closer to hers.

"What, this?" Shepard offered, quickly grabbing the back of his neck and ramming her helmet into his. The field that kept her suspended disappeared, and she landed harshly on the ground. She scrambled to her shotgun, but the moment she touched it, she felt Grant's boot colliding into her side. Shepard rolled on her back, ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs, keeping her eyes on Grant who now towered over her. She hooked her left foot behind his ankle and delivered a swift kick to his knee, effectively knocking him down. He dropped his pistol that she gladly acquired with ease.

Shepard hopped to her feet, pistol in hand, and emptied the clip and Grant's shields. Turning the tables, she used her biotic powers on him, and levitated his body off the ground. "You should learn," Shepard snapped, bringing Grant's body close to her, "how to play nice!" A powerful right hook to his helmet served as a killshot to Grant thus ending his participation in the first round.

Blue numbers flickered across her visor indicating that her shields were now down to twenty percent. She hurried to the recharge station and collected her weapons. "Shepard, down!" she heard Kaidan cry. She always trusted his judgment and did as he instructed even though she could not see any immediate threat. But a barrier was erected around her, and several shots were decimated in the barrier. Kaidan was running to her and slid behind the barrier. "You all right?" he asked.

"Never better," she answered, grunting in pain. "I'll live. Peterson?"

"He's down. Good work with Grant… he's lucky all these people are watching. Otherwise, I'd kill him," Kaidan growled.

"Save it," Shepard ordered. "Focus on Nihlus and Richards. I'm going to see if I can take Vakarian."

XXXXXX

Garrus had to remind himself that he was not on the same team as Shepard. It took an unbelievable amount of willpower to keep himself from pulling the trigger on Grant. He couldn't hear what Shepard had said to Grant, but every word that poured from Grant's lips was leaked over Team B's comms. And Garrus did not like the underlying tones in Grant's voice one bit. He chuckled to himself when he saw Shepard clock Grant across the face.

"Good girl," he heard Richards say over the comm link. "Nihlus, Peterson is out, and they're moving forward. How do you want to proceed?"

"No sense in retreating," Nihlus responded. "We have absolutely no biotic support, so let's even things up a bit. Take Alenko out."

"Got him in my sights," Garrus said, aiming for the human biotic. He fired away not wasting any time. They were outnumbered, and they needed to even the teams _now_.

Not even a minute had gone by and Alenko was taken out of the first round. Garrus had nestled himself in the southside shelter. He had unloaded the last of his ammo on Alenko, so he set about to find a recharge station or extra ammo. He kept himself low and made his way further up the shelter.

"Garrus, did you see where Shepard went?" Nihlus asked.

"Negative," Garrus said. He sprinted up another ramp, entering the third level.

"Status report, Garrus," Nihlus ordered.

Garrus searched every corner for more heat sinks. "You'll have to do without long distance support for now. Tracking down ammo." He rounded one more corner only to be confronted by none other than Lia Shepard, pistol at the ready.

"Lucky for me," she smiled. Garrus didn't even have time to blink before five shots blasted his shields away. The sheer force of the shockwaves pushed him back, and he struggled to regain his footing. He aimed his own pistol, but she was on him, quite literally.

Shepard wasted no time and tackled him, knocking away his weapon in the process. For such a small creature, she sure had a great deal of strength contained in her body. Her shoulder slammed into his abdomen and he was suddenly on his back.

_C-Sec Officer Vakarian is now eliminated from round one. _

Garrus heard the faint roar of the crowd. Most of his focus was on the human female that was currently straddling his stomach. Her hand was pressed against his chest and his armor powered down. Both of them took a moment to catch their breath, and Garrus had forgotten for that moment that they were likely being watched by thousands of people. They stared at each other, and he wondered if those enticing eyes ever lost their sparkle. "Good round, Vakarian," Shepard said with a friendly smile. She got to her feet and offered him her hand.

The sudden disappearance of her weight bothered him, but he left that thought in the back of his mind. He remembered the first time he met Alenko, refusing his handshake because of the awkward difference in their anatomy. No such thought entered his mind when his talons gently wrapped around Shepard's fingers. "Likewise, Shepard," he said, accepting her hand.


	6. Unity

**Happy Friday everyone! Well, it'll only be Friday for about another 20 minutes, but I wanted to get this chapter out for you guys to enjoy over the weekend. I now have a general plot that I want to write, so plan on this story being around for a while longer. I hope you guys enjoy the story so far. And thank you to those who have reviewed and/or added the story to your favs. **

Round two came and went as Shepard's team wiped out Nihlus' team within ten minutes. But Shepard wasn't satisfied with the result. She knew the skill level of her opponents, but they weren't working as a team. No matter what Nihlus did, he was unable to control the two humans that were ruining efficiency of his leadership.

Towards the end of round three, Shepard found herself in a one on one skirmish with Nihlus. They were the only ones that had not been eliminated. And if they forgot it, the crowd reminded them. Both leaders found themselves mirroring the other, rifles aimed, yet neither pulling the trigger. Shepard could literally see Nihlus' eyes narrow in amusement. There was a quiet understanding between them, and the Turian Spectre set his weapon aside first. "What do you say, Shepard?" he asked, his voice was low and inviting. "Give the audience what they came to see."

She lowered her weapon as well, entertaining the idea. The exhibition had been exhilarating since the start, but it was just an exhibition. Nihlus' proposal would be the most realistic portion of this whole spectacle. They both cast their weapons aside and she cracked her knuckles. "Why the hell not?" she asked with a smirk.

Nihlus was pleased and he took a defensive stance. "I expect nothing but your best."

"Same here," she said, dropping her weight on her back leg, ready to pounce.

_Oh, what's this? Nihlus and Shepard are going to settle this the traditional way! _cried the announcer. _Who will reign victorious? Will Shepard take the title or will Nihlus hold on strong and claim a point for his team? _

Joker laughed when he saw Nagivator Pressly bury his face in his hands. "This can only end badly," the older man sighed.

"Oh, come on!" Joker managed to say. He was stuffing his face with candy and snacks alike, obviously having been deprived of junk food. "She can take him."

Pressly glared at the Normandy pilot wondering he managed to find himself in such company. But he knew that when it came down to it, he would not want anyone else to fly a ship he was on. He looked down into the center of the arena watching Shepard and the alien spectre trade blows. He winced every time he saw the turian's punches or kicks land on her small body. He had to remind himself several times before that Shepard was no pushover. And he had known Shepard long enough to know when she was putting on a show or genuinely fighting to defend herself. She seemed to be illustrating the latter.

"Oh!" yelped Joker. "Did you see that? She freaking clotheslined him! Oh, shit! He's coming back- Watch out Shepard! Yeah, kick his ass! Duck! No- get off the ground!"

Pressly imagined that Joker would have been jumping out of his seat and punching his fist through the air if he were physically capable of doing so. It was amazing to see the almost familial bond that developed between Joker and Shepard. She had become a sort of a mother hen to most of the crew on the Normandy, and Anderson had hinted that he wouldn't mind turning over the Normandy to Shepard one of these days.

"Ohhhhhh… OHHHHH!" Joker's incessant shouting broke into Pressly's thoughts. And his ears were filled yet another booming and rather annoying roar from the crowd.

_And Shepard is down! Round three goes to Nihlus! _

Both leaders were gasping for air when the round came to a close. Shepard had a feeling that she would lose to Nihlus given the restricting circumstances, but that didn't mean she was just going to roll over. She knew the Council was watching and she needed to gain their favor. She studied Nihlus' face, noting how much different his facial markings were compared to Garrus'. She decided that she favored blue over white. Shepard pushed herself, trying her best to ignore the crying nerves in her body and stand to her feet. From the corner of her eye, she could see both of their teams walking up to them.

To her surprise, Nihlus grabbed the underside of her arm and lifted her to her feet. "It really is too bad you're a human," he said in a low chortle.

"Yeah? You're not too bad yourself for an overgrown lizard," she replied, giving him a respectful nod. They both tapped each other on the shoulder and returned to their teams.

She was greeted with lingering stares from her turian teammates. "Not bad, Shepard," Tanis said with a hint of admiration.

"Almost had him too," Qurin said. He turned to Varian. "You owe me two hundred credits."

Shepard laughed. "That hurts Qurin."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Shepard," Varian said. "I bet that you wouldn't be able to punch Nihlus five times in the head."

Round four was just as brutal for Shepard's team, and they had no choice but to surrender the 2-1 lead they held over Team B when Tanis and Varian were taken out early in the round. Since the little mishap between Grant and Shepard in the round one, the biotic and his turian hating friend, Peterson, have been quite unforgiving to Shepard in particular. Officials had to break up a heated discussion between Alenko and Grant as they were seconds away from using more than words to get their points across. It wasn't until Shepard and Nihlus became involved that the dispute ended.

The score was now tied at 2-2 and both teams waited patiently as the area was being set up for the final round. Shepard rolled her head from shoulder to shoulder, trying to ease the pain at the base of her neck. "That's it. Anderson owes me a vacation," she said in a grimace.

"Just one more round, and this will all be over with," Kaidan said gratefully.

"Hey, sorry for dragging you out to this," she said as she was setting up her weapons for the last time.

"Well, I admit, it's better than staying on board the Normandy and being holed up there for weeks on end," he replied. "And this will all be worth it if I could just give Grant a taste of his own medicine. It was completely unnecessary to throw you into a wall like that. You better have the doc check you out later."

"He'll get his, Kaidan," Shepard promised. "Whether it's by our hand is a different matter, but I like to say that I believe karma pokes her head into our lives every now and then."

'_For the final round, we decided to make things a bit more interesting,' _shouted the announcer.

"Great, what is it this time?" Shepard groaned. She looked to Tanis when he gave her a very suspicious look. She looked to the others. "What is it?" Qurin and Varian had almost identical surprised looks on their faces.

"_Vana kin ola nus_," Tanis said.

"What the hell…?" Kaidan asked slowly. When realization dawned on him, he threw his arms up. "You've _got_ to be kidding me!"

XXXXXXXXX

Garrus growled and damn near ripped Grant's head off when his long talons gripped the biotic's throat. He ignored the blue energy that was surrounding Grant's body knowing full well that the ignorant human was fully intent on unleashing his biotic powers. Garrus growled at Grant and the human choked out something completely unintelligible back at him. He blinked. Keeping his eyes on Grant's he asked in a very threatening tone to repeat himself. Again, he did not understand Grant.

Nihlus placed his hand on Garrus' arm, silently asking him to release the human. "It appears," Nihlus began, "that our translators have been disabled. I believe this is the final challenge working against us."

"Like I need another reason to hate these men," Garrus snapped, looking from Grant to Peterson. He reluctantly released his hold on Grant and the human stalked away from him muttering what he could only assume was curses and a whole sling of profanities he probably hadn't heard before from a human.

Richards cautiously approached Garrus and Nihlus saying something in a calming and almost concerned tone. He seemed to have caught onto the fact that they could not rely on verbal communication. The Alliance soldier patted Garrus on the shoulder and readied his rifle. He signaled with his hands that he was going to fight along side Nihlus. At least that's what Garrus assumed. He gave Richards a curt nod.

"Just take down Shepard," Nihlus said. "She's the biggest threat. And Garrus…"

"Yes, sir?"

"If need be, you can take out Grant and Peterson," the spectre added. "I won't say anything."

Garrus smiled. He would have no problem doing just that. Hell, he might even jump the gun a bit early.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The tiebreaker round was underway and Garrus found himself surprised yet again by Shepard's leadership. She was barking out orders in both her native human language and in nearly flawless Turian. Their comm lines have been completely severed, so they had to rely on staying close to one another in order to hear each other.

"Move, move, move!" Shepard shouted, advancing forward in full confidence. She was taking a huge risk making the assumption that he and Nihlus were unable to communicate with their human counterparts. She was betting that their team would be completely decimated and divided. He wanted to both curse her and praise her. What an impressive woman. As his leader requested, Garrus kept his full attention on Shepard, but he found himself admiring how she well she carried herself and how she was able to anticipate many of their moves.

Many human soldiers he had the opportunity to work with rarely worked as graceful as she did. Everything she did had a purpose, and it was obvious that she cared for the wellbeing of teammates, even the ones that were Turian. He saw Grant mercilessly take down Varian, but before he could land the killshot, Shepard used her abilities to push him a good distance away while reviving her comrade. She erected a shield around him knowing that he was still vulnerable.

Garrus left his sniper rifle behind as his patience was worn thin enough. He wanted to be closer to the action; the feral side of him was beginning to awaken. He and Richards charged forward, doing their best to avoid Alenko's defenses. Most of Alenko's attention was on Peterson, and Garrus had no problem "accidentally" ignoring his struggling teammate.

But then he heard Shepard shout Qurin and Tanis' names and the words that followed after were those of shock and alarm. The horrified gasps of the crowd made Garrus forget that they were in a simulated battle. When he saw the state of Qurin's body, bloodied and unmoving, Garrus searched the battleground in blind rage. Tanis was clutching his chest, blue blood pouring out of an injury that easily ripped through his armor and carapace.

He and Nihlus were the first to arrive to help them. "He's alive," Nihlus said after inspecting Qurin's body. "Help me get them to the doctor." Garrus heard the request, but he didn't obey. His eyes were set on Shepard who was jabbing her rifle into Grant's shoulder. She was seething and her eyes were full of anger and outrage. Peterson looked indifferent and that showed Garrus that he was just as much to blame for his fellow turian's injuries as Grant was. Alenko and Richards were keeping their distance behind Shepard, but they were ready to jump to her defense at a moment's notice.

Shepard could barely control her voice. At this point in time, she didn't give a damn if thousands of people were watching her. Human or not, she would not hesitate in disciplining the men that had unnecessarily crippled her team. "Just what the hell is your problem, Grant?" she demanded. Her blood was hot and the adrenaline in her body was peaking with every passing moment.

"I was defending myself," came the pathetic answer.

"Bullshit!" she snapped. "You've got a lot of nerve, you bastard. How dare you. You could have killed him!" Every ounce of her being wanted to tear the man apart. His biased hatred for turians didn't even keep him from foolishly making a spectacle in front of the Council.

"You love em so much, go marry one," Grant drawled.

"Show them some fucking respect you piece of shit," she seethed. She would have said more but Vakarian came out of nowhere and punched Grant square in the face.

_Oh, shit. _Shepard thought. "Get ready!" she shouted to Richards and Kaidan. Her instincts proved correct. Grant wasn't going to take that lying down. His biotic powers were heightened and he lashed out at everything and everyone. She felt the powerful wave of energy lift her off her feet and throw her backwards. She felt her ribs crack and her breath was crushed out of her lungs. Richards helped her up while Kaidan shielded them. Peterson was knocked out, but Grant was running wild.

"Take him out now!" Shepard coughed. She tossed her shock weapon aside realizing she could only rely on her own biotic powers. Grant shifted his powers over to Nihlus and Richards who were charging him. Another burst of energy emitted from Grant and savagely shredded through their armor. Richards groaned in pain and grasped his side. His flesh was burned and Nihlus was not faring any better.

Just as she did with Garrus, she took advantage of Grant's divided attention. She moved swiftly, doing her best to protect herself. Digging her feet into the ground, she pounced, ramming her shoulder into Grant's stomach. Blue energy surrounded Grant's hands and he attacked with an animalistic ferocity.

Something was definitely wrong. There was nothing human in his eyes, Shepard thought to herself as she defended against those strong powerful blows. She brought her left arm up to block a punch and grabbed his shoulder using all of her upper body strength to bring him down while driving her knee into his chest. He grabbed her and threw her into the wall of the arena. Her head cracked against her helmet; the impact split the protective plates in two and they fell off her armor. Her hair was now free flowing save for the strands that were stuck on her face, glued to her skin by blood and sweat. The spectators screamed and many people were running out of the arena.

"Shepard!" Kaidan shouted. His concern for her was his downfall. Grant made short of work of him and Kaidan was left unconscious on the ground.

"Kaidan!" Shepard grunted in pain. There was a searing pain that ran throughout her body. None of them were properly equipped to handle a situation as dangerous as this. She watched in horror as Vakarian stepped up to fight off Grant. She knew Grant was powerful, but this was an unnatural strength he was showing. She scanned the arena, hardly believing the extensive damage he had inflicted in such a short amount of time. The obstacle course was ruined, and there was hardly anything left but rubble and jagged destroyed structures.

She forced herself to her feet unable to accept defeat. She had to help Vakarian. He didn't stand a chance if he faced Grant alone. Her body was threatening to defy her will, but she trudged forward. She summoned her powers and attempted to freeze Grant where he stood, but he broke free in seconds. He gave her a menacing smile and suddenly disappeared in a blue flash. "The hell…?" she said to herself.

Grant's voice was deadly in her ear, and she knew she was in for a world of pain. "Too slow, Shepard." There was a sharp pain in her back and she was just jolted forward. Vakarian caught her and asked her if she was all right. The look in his eyes would be endearing in any other situation, but she didn't want him in danger. "Focus," she said in his language. "Don't let your guard down."

No matter how many battles she fought in, the sensation of feeling blood run down her body was something she would never get used to. She knew the plates that protected her back were destroyed and her body had sustained damage. Vakarian placed her gently on the ground. Before he went to face Grant again, he placed his hand on her forehead affectionately. "We'll take care of him."

She was in and out of consciousness, fighting the black hold on her eyes. It was so difficult to focus. There were armed guards, screams… Vakarian and Nihlus were fighting Grant… Dr. Chakwas was running towards her. Everything happened in a matter of seconds, yet somehow she could see only Vakarian. Shepard forced herself up on her elbows. Grant was keeping the guards at bay. He didn't even look human anymore. His skin had become darkened and scarred and his eyes were soulless. The sickly looking body mass was no longer Anthony Grant.

She couldn't let Vakarian and Nihlus face Grant alone. Grant had become a biotic monster and he could kill the turians easily if she didn't help. "Shepard, stay out of this! You're hurt!" Nihlus shouted at her.

"Don't count me out yet gentlemen," she said holding her side. She could feel her fingers grasping at slick skin, and she imagined that her entire backside was covered in blood. Shepard looked at the guards taking cover from Grant's onslaughts. "If I get him to stop for a few seconds, can you guys take him?" she yelled.

"That's all we need!" yelled one of the C-Sec officers.

Shepard let out a deep breath and used the rest of her energy to break down Grant's biotic shields and freeze him. This time she was ready for him and she wasn't going to let him get away. Grant's hateful eyes were on her as she fell to her knees in exhaustion, but she didn't back down. C-Sec officers tossed Nihlus and Vakarian assault rifles and they joined in the firefight. Grant fought against her, but she held firm. He roared in frustration and one last burst of energy shot out from his body, and it was aimed directly at her. The only redeeming factor of her royally getting her ass kicked was that she witnessed Grant being gunned down, completely riddled in bullets.

Her vision went black, and she felt nothing else. She fought to keep her eyes open, but all she could see was white and blurred visions. "I will not tell you again. I need space!" said a very commanding female voice. "Get me that Medi-Gel, now! You, come here! Yes, you! Come here! Hold her up."

She struggled to keep herself from falling asleep; her body was utterly exhausted. Something was keeping her from moving and she fought against that unknown force. "Stubborn, aren't you?" came a smooth voice in Turian. His strong arms were wrapped around her mid section and the back of her neck, helping to keep her back exposed. His mouth was close to her ear, and she could smell dust and blood on him. But there was also a faint natural scent on him that reminded her of the open skies of Earth. It was soothing.

"Oh, my dear girl…" said the female voice. "One of these days, you're going to give me a heart attack."

"Grant…" she gasped when she felt a cool tingle on her skin. Must be the Medi-Gel. Her skin might be repairing, but her muscles were strained and worn. It was a huge effort to even breathe.

"He's gone," said the turian voice. She was leaning against his chest and she felt fingers… no… talons combing through her hair nervously, doing whatever they could to calm her. "Sleep, Shepard. Everything is fine."

That was the best plan she heard all day, and she obliged without a second thought.


	7. Promotion

**Ok guys, this is a longer chapter. I'm making up for the lack of an update for last week, and this week, I will be super busy. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and if you're crazy enough to go shopping, please be safe! Thank you all to those who have reviewed and set this story on their Favorites. Thanks for all the support!**

Shepard's eyes narrowed as she fought an intense battle of will with the silver haired woman before her. "I'm not wearing it," Shepard hissed. She hadn't meant for her tone to sound harsh, but a brief and curt reply was all she could muster at the moment considering that she was still recovering in the Medical Ward. Due to the extensive damage on her back, she was forced to lie down on her stomach for the past two days while Dr. Chakwas and her team worked to repair the muscle tissue and nerve damaged she had sustained. Shepard hadn't regained consciousness until approximately sixteen hours after she had been transported to the hospital. She remembered angry voices all around her. Some were demanding an explanation for what had happened, and others were primarily concerned for her health. Among those voices she was strongly attached to Vakarian's dominant tone, telling people to get out of his way and let the doctors see her.

During her recovery, she was visited by Captain Anderson and Kaidan. They both had apologized profusely to her for either letting her down or for allowing this to happen to her, but Shepard told them they were being unreasonable. Anderson told her that The Council would like to see her when she was fully recovered. She wasn't too surprised to see Nihlus and Vakarian at one point. Their visit was brief and Vakarian was strangely very distant. His body language told her that he was highly uncomfortable being around her, but she said nothing. Nihlus wished her a swift recovery and left, quickly followed by Vakarian who muttered a low goodbye.

The biggest surprise she received was a visit from Peterson. Dr. Chakwas was immediately defensive, but Peterson looked utterly pathetic as though he was going to drop to his knees in apology. Shepard asked him why he had come. Peterson claimed to not know anything about what happened to Grant, and that he never meant to really hurt anyone. He also admitted that the only reason why he was alive was because Nihlus had protected him. "The Turian… Nihlus," he corrected himself when Shepard grunted in disapproval. "He's not that bad." And with that Peterson had left, and Shepard wondered if he would slowly come around to accepting turians.

Now on the eve of her complete recovery, Dr. Chakwas had entered Shepard's room with a large white box under her arm. "Your presence is requested tomorrow evening," Chakwas said, obviously entertained by whatever gift she had brought.

"For?"

Chakwas opened the package in front of Shepard and pulled out a long flowing velvet dress. As Chakwas was showing her different angles, Shepard couldn't tell if the dress was a dark violet or black in color. "You're kidding me…"

There was a huge grin on the doctor's face and she looked like a mother dressing her daughter for a first date. "Now mind you, this request came from The Council as they had decided to have a banquet in your honor. Your team won the exhibition according to the judges, and besides, when was the last time you had a hot gourmet meal?"

"I'm not going to wear that," Shepard repeated. She sat up from her bed and shook her head. Her muscles were still tight and she couldn't wait to get back on the Normandy, or at the very least, out of this ward. Her eyes rested on her reflection that was being cast from the viewing window of her recovery room. She slowly rose and approached the window. Shepard craned her neck to the left slightly noting more scar tissue. Turning her body completely and dropping her nightgown to her waist, she could see multiple gashes that had scarred over across her back.

"There is a procedure that we can use…" Chakwas began. Her voice was very quiet, sounding almost sad. "But I know you. If you'll allow it just for the night, we can hide the scars. This dress is quite revealing."

Shepard covered herself back up and tore her eyes away from the window. She had a feeling that this particular dress was chosen to show people that she had come away from the incident unscathed. "Just for the one night?"

Chakwas nodded. "Honestly, Shepard, you're one hell of a soldier, but you don't need to look-"

Shepard cut her off politely. "I need these reminders, doctor. I need them." That was all the explanation she ever gave anyone. Thankfully, Chakwas seemed to understand more than most. Shepard cleared her throat, trying to rid the atmosphere of the awkward air between the two women. "So… can you help me with my hair?"

XXXXX

Garrus paced back on forth down the hallway that led him to and from Shepard's temporary private quarters. Whenever he gathered enough courage to approach her room, he stepped back and then walked away from the door with a new wave of anxiety that filled his body. He wasn't even supposed to be here. Nihlus was the one that was supposed to be escorting Shepard to the banquet, but he had been called away on a mission last minute. Nihlus hadn't given him any details, but he did mention a rogue Spectre.

Nihlus' words echoed in his mind each time he made an attempt to signal his presence at Shepard's door. _Just remember what we talked about. And tread carefully, Garrus. Many people won't understand, but I have faith in you. And her. _

Garrus' taloned hand reached up to the control panel beside Shepard's door. He groaned in frustration and turned away. How could he have been so foolish and blind? He buried his face in his hand, looking downward.

"Is having me on your arm really so horrible?" he heard a female voice behind him.

_Well, crap. _ He supposed he must have appeared agitated at her when it was really the opposite. "No, Shepard I-" he spun around to offer an apology, but he lost the ability to speak the moment his eyes found her.

Granted, she was more clothed this time than she was when they first met, but she was dressed in such a way that would rival an Asari's beauty. He never considered humans stunning, but Shepard was unique and that was beautiful in itself. Armor had a way or wrapping around one's body, but whatever material she wore right now appeared to be a second skin. He could see a portion of her legs as the side of her dress was cut in such a way to expose a seductive amount of skin. There was some kind of paint or coloring around her eyes that brought out the color of those emerald irises. Her hair was down but slightly curled, the shorter layers framed her face while the longer strands rested along her collarbone.

He saw a small pendant dangling from a thin silver chain resting above the area where a human's heart would be. Before he could see what the pendant was, her fingers shyly closed around it.

"I … it… belonged to my mom," Shepard said in a low voice.

Garrus forced himself to focus on the agenda for the night. He was to escort Shepard to the banquet and act as her, what the hell did Richards call it… date for the evening. "You look… cute."

Shepard blinked and looked up at Garrus. "Cute?"

Garrus groaned thinking he had offended her. "Is that not the proper term?" He swiftly scanned through his Omni-tool, muttering and cursing to himself. "Oh. Perhaps, beautiful is a much better compliment?" He read off the definition he found on the Omni-tool. "Visually appealing or stunning. Opposite of ugly and unattractive."

Shepard smiled, forgetting about what he assumed was a painful reminder of the loss of her parents. "Thank you, Vakarian."

"Garrus," he offered without a second thought. "You can call me Garrus."

"I would say, you could call me Lia, but no one ever has," Shepard laughed. "I probably wouldn't respond to Lia, so Shepard is fine." Her laugh subsided and she cleared her throat. "So… I have to ask."

"Yes?"

"Do you not like me, Garrus?"

It was his turn to blink. "Not like you?"

"Your demeanor has changed toward me since the exhibition. And I could tell that you weren't very happy to be around when you stopped by to check on me," she said.

Garrus could see that Executive Officer Shepard was back. She was now very calculating and observant of him, and there was no way he could give him a complete and honest answer. "It's just that I'm not comfortable in hospitals. My mother…"

Shepard nodded and held her hand up stopping him from giving her more information. "Fair enough. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't any tension between us."

"You have nothing to worry about," Garrus said. There was much that he wanted to talk to her about, but this was hardly the time. For now, he would settle for her not being upset with his new attitude toward her. He had been briefly taught the human gesture of how a male escorted a female and he offered her his arm. She accepted it with a smile and they made their way down to the Citadel Tower.

XXXXX

Shepard graciously accepted all the compliments, genuine or forced, that were thrown her way. Many soldiers were vying for her attention, but she kept her conversations short and impersonal. Even turians, salarians and asari were granting her praise though some were more heartfelt than others. She managed to catch a break when Richards, Varian, and Qurin closed in on her, effectively keeping people from pestering her.

"You clean up well," Richards said with a whistle. His eyes were friendly and he greeted her with a salute. "Before we lose you to the crowd again, I have to say, our little scrimmage was an honor."

"You hardly look like the same female," Varian said eyeing her closely. "Are you really Shepard?"

"If I say yes, do you owe Qurin credits?" she replied with a chuckle.

The trio laughed though Qurin winced in pain and brought his hand to his chest. "I'll live," he said when he met her eyes. She assumed the concerned look she gave him was enough for him to give her reassurance. "I received the best medical care, I'll be just fine."

"Good," she nodded. "I don't like to lose good people." Since she and Garrus had arrived at the Citadel Tower, her thoughts were consumed with the protocol and procedures of formal etiquette. Her breath was nearly taken away when she saw the lower levels of the tower decorated in crystals and ice sculptures. The cherry blossom trees were laced with golden strands that resembled silk and dozens of tables with magnificent floral centerpieces were set up for hundreds of guests. Garrus had been lured away by his fellow C-Sec officers which left Shepard vulnerable to her growing number of admirers.

"You are a rare being, Shepard," she heard from her right. Her heart lifted when she saw Tanis and Kaidan walking toward her.

"Glad to see you two on your feet," she said greeting them.

"We should be saying that to you," Kaidan sighed. Shepard had to admit that Kaidan looked good in a suit. She had the hardest time looking at herself in a mirror while she was dolled up. It had been such a long time since she had worn heels. Her toes were hoping that she'd slip into combat boots sooner rather than later.

"I'm good. See?" Shepard said holding out her arms and spinning around once. Her dress flowed around her legs and twisted gently at her calves before it loosened and set back in place around her ankles.

"You look amazing," Kaidan said in astonishment, but he then quickly added a "ma'am" after his statement.

A smooth female voice resonated over the Citadel Tower. _'Officer Shepard. Please approach the audience chamber.'_

Shepard gulped and her heart began to pound against her chest. She had wondered if she would be granted an audience with the Council, but she didn't think it would happen in front of a large audience. To her surprise, she saw Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina walking toward her. "All right there, Shepard?" Anderson said with a proud smile.

"Yes, sir," she answered, keeping her composure.

"Well, then, shall we?" he said, holding his arm out and letting her lead. Udina kept quiet, and Shepard knew that was hardly a good thing. But they made their way up the audience chamber. She felt all eyes on her and if people weren't looking at her directly, she knew she was being watched through a video feed. She had to remind herself that she wasn't in uniform and she wasn't dressed for combat. Her arms hung uncomfortably at her sides, slightly bent at the elbow, trying her best to look as feminine as possible.

Before her were the three figures that represented the voice of law in their galaxy. Each was dressed for a formal occasion and the primary color of their attire was a deep red color. Before now she had always communicated with the Council through video feed. Each of them was standing behind their own personal terminal, and they were unmoving, almost statuesque. As they were on the highest level of the Tower, the view from the large windows behind them was breath taking and beautiful. And it was at the top level of the Tower that the cherry blossoms were bloomed to their fullest.

"Executive Officer Lia Shepard," greeted the Asari Councilor. Her perfect body was covered in a long crimson dress.

"Ma'am," Shepard nodded and instinctively joined her hands behind her back.

"You are to be commended for your part in stopping Anthony Grant from becoming an abomination," said the Turian Councilor. "You have our thanks and the gratitude of the C-Sec officers you aided."

"Very impressive display of courage," the Salarian Councilor said. "Quick wit, sound judgment, ability to resolve a crisis in a short amount of time. These are the qualities we are quite acceptable."

Shepard's eyes widened. "Sir?"

She felt Anderson clap a hand on her shoulder. "You certainly impressed the hell out of me, Shepard. I always knew you would make a fine leader, and with that said, I can rest easy."

Shepard looked at Anderson with a questioning stare. "Thank you, sir, but I'm afraid I don't quite understand." She tried her best to stand still, but she was suddenly aware of every detail on her body. Her feet were aching and tired, she could feel a knot in her stomach, and she could even feel the weight of mascara on her eyelashes. She cleared her throat. "Sir."

Anderson moved to stand directly in front of her and he saluted her. "I hereby relinquish command of the SSV Normandy. She's all yours. Congratulations… Commander."

"Captain…" Shepard gasped. Her eyes quickly glanced over to Udina and he nodded to her.

"It is well deserved, Shepard," Udina said with more charisma than was needed. "The skills you have shown us have proven that you are ready to command the Normandy. This decision also comes with the approval of the Council."

"I…," Shepard started. There were too many emotions coursing through her when she caught Anderson's eyes with hers. He wouldn't be there anymore. Sure, there were times when she took missions into her own hands, and she already had a reputation among the alien races as being an icon of the human race, but this was so sudden. Would her current crew stay? Did they look up to her as they did with Anderson? Paranoia was creeping up on her, and she forced herself to stay away from it.

"There is also another matter, Commander," said the Turian Councilor. "The Exhibition, save for the incident concerning the human biotic, was … favorable." Shepard wasn't quite convinced that she had earned the Turian's approval, but this was not the time or place to test that theory.

"As you know, Commander, you were selected as a candidate in hopes becoming the first human Spectre," continued the Asari Councilor. "Step forward." Shepard did as requested and she felt even more intense stares on her. "It is the decision of The Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel."

The Salarian Councilor stepped forward. "Spectres are not trained, but chosen," he said. His large black eyes stared at her from underneath his crimson hood. "Individuals forged in the fire or service and battle. Those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file."

The Asari continued, "Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."

The Turian Councilor crossed his arms over his chest, keeping composure, but Shepard could see the unfavorable judgment on his face. No amount of white face paint could cover his expression. "Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

The Asari concluded the induction. "You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire species. Please, remember our words."

"I am truly honored," Shepard bowed her head.

She heard a dull roar from the lower levels of the Tower. It seemed as though she had the approval of her audience as well. If she thought she was surprised as hell before, her shock had reached a brand new level. All three Council members pressed numerous buttons on their personal panels and the automatic female voice was heard once again.

_Registered Spectre Lia Shepard. Commander of the SSV Normandy. First human Spectre. Welcome, Commander Shepard._

The Asari Councilor waved her arm over her panel, and Shepard heard something similar to electricity dying out. "Now that we are away from prying eyes and ears," said the Councilor, "there is a matter of Anthony Grant."

Shepard straightened her back, very aware of the sudden change in dynamic between the Councilors. It didn't take a genius to figure out the Grant was likely the reason why her change in status had been thrown into overdrive. "You want me to find out what happened to him and if other biotics will suffer the same fate?" she asked.

"Not much will get past her," Anderson said with a smirk.

"Yes," the Turian Councilor said. "If it were up to me, you would still just be a candidate, but you now have first hand experience in dealing with a monstrosity like Grant. And being a biotic yourself will only give you further understanding of what Grant experienced."

"Agreed," added the Salarian Councilor. "Do what you must to ensure that your fellow human was just a single occurrence. We have, however, received reports of uncontrollable biotic uprisings. We believe that these reports have been filed due to paranoia, but it is now your responsibility to confirm these incidents."

"While there is much work to be done, even I cannot say that you should be immediately thrown into the field," said the Turian Councilor. "Enjoy your commemoration party."

And with that, The Council turned away and disappeared from view.

XXXXXXXXXX

Many humans were dancing to the songs of old music legends, and it was entertaining to watch the salarians and turians attempting how to learn to slow dance or waltz. Asari were naturals at adapting with their bodies, so learning a new dance or two was no challenge for them. The atmosphere had slowed and allowed Shepard to breathe a bit, but she was still being bombarded by dozens of people. Kaidan and the others were doing their best to distract Shepard's fans, and luckily they were succeeding for the most part. Kaidan and Richards were being swarmed by a number of females and Shepard couldn't help but laugh. Even her turian team mates had the attention of several admirers.

However, her head was spinning. She couldn't keep track of all the people that were stopping by her table to congratulate her. All she wanted was a bite of her chicken entrée because she was absolutely starving. So far, all she was able to do was sip at her wine glass in between conversations. She smiled and waved a thank you to a couple that had wished her a safe journey, and she made one more attempt to place her fork in her mouth. She was a Spectre, AND she was the commander of the Normandy. Maybe Grant really did kill her. Like a little kid, she pinched her cheek and felt a dull pain on the side of her face. Nope. Still alive.

"Still in shock?" said a very old male voice.

She looked up to see Admiral Hackett sitting across from her. "Sir!" she said, jumping to her feet.

"At ease, Commander," said the old man in amusement. "Commander… got a nice ring to it."

"Thank you, sir," Shepard said, slowly returning to her seat. "You didn't have to come all this way to congratulate me. I know you're a very busy man."

"Even I need a break every now and then, Shepard," he said smiling. His old eyes were tired, but they still had such a fire in them. Shepard had always admired Hackett and she looked up to him a great deal. "Unfortunately, my break is almost over, and I need to be heading back soon. I do, however, have one request, Commander."

"Just name it, sir," Shepard said. "Geth post? Recon mission?"

She heard the music change. There was a light tapping and a flute had joined in seconds later. '_Fly me to the moon. Let me play among the stars…'_

"May I have this dance, Shepard?" Hackett asked.

Shepard couldn't say no, empty stomach be damned. She smiled and stood, barely noticing that the group of people around her parted, allowing her and Hackett to join arms. He lead her to the middle of the banquet room and they began to sway from left to right in time with the song. The song began to pick up and she realized how much she had missed listening to the classics.

"Never knew you were fan of ol Blue Eyes," Shepard said with a laugh. She let him gently push her away, but held a firm grip on her hand. He pulled her back and she twirled, feeling the dress flowing around her legs. She heard their audience clap in awe and some were cheering for them.

_In other words, please be true… _

"I know your father enjoyed the legends," Hackett said when they were face to face once more.

Shepard blinked. Her voice was caught and she was suddenly caught in a wave of memories focused on her father. "He did…" she said quietly. She looked into Hackett's eyes and tried to keep tears from falling. The Admiral was very much like a father figure to her. There were so many times in her military career that he had taken her under his wing. He had protected her, trained her, and she did her best to never let him down. He was damn near family to her.

"He would be proud," Hackett said. "I know I am."

Her lips were tight with emotion, but she managed a smile. Simple words that had such a huge impact on her. "Thank you, sir."

_Let me see what's spring is like on… Jupiter and Mars…_

Hackett looked behind her and there was an almost wicked gleam in his eyes. "Looks like my break is over, and I have to hand you over. Congratulations, Commander. We'll be in touch soon," he said and twirled her around again. This time he let her go, and she suddenly found herself in the arms of a very tall and very nervous turian.

"There you are," Shepard laughed when she saw Garrus' frightened look. "Relax, will you? You're making me nervous now."

"Well I… I don't know how… I just came to ask how you were doing," Garrus stuttered, trying to find his footing.

_In other words… hold my hand_

"Garrus… shut up and relax," she said and guided his hands to her hips. She lead him, and they were joined by other couples on the dance floor. It was endearing to watch Garrus look back and forth from her and the other couples. He tried to mimic their movement as best as he could, but it was no secret that his moves were better suited for battle.

_Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more…_

"This is a great song from our history," Shepard explained, trying to distract him.

"Is it now? What makes it so special?" Garrus asked, returning his gaze to her. He was a good foot taller than her, and she found it was the perfect height for her to rest her hands on his shoulders.

"It's special to me because it was one of my father's favorites," she said. His taloned hands gripped her hips ever so slightly. She could tell that he was respecting the memory of her parents. He was silent and his movement slowed. "This will probably be the last day off I get in a while," Shepard smiled. Without a second thought, she brought her forehead to rest against his and he stiffened in surprise. "Shall we give them a show, Vakarian?" she asked playfully.

_You are all I long for, all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true… _

"Pardon?" was all he could get out before she livened up their pace. Her timing was perfect as the band began to play louder and the singer put much more feeling and emotion into the lyrics. Shepard grabbed his hand, stepped away from his grasp, then twirled back into his arms. She swayed for two beats before she retreated again. For the first time in years, Shepard allowed herself to be free. She didn't think this moment would find her in the arms of a turian, but she welcomed it all the same. At the very least, Garrus didn't hate her as much of his kind did. Regardless of race, she always enjoyed the company of those who were genuine, and Garrus was just that. It was unfortunate that this would probably be the last time she'd see him in a long time.

The band was playing at full force and the dance floor was full mostly of humans, but they didn't pay much attention to the odd couple in the center. For a few moments, all the worries of the galaxy were forgotten and Shepard danced to the memory of her lost father, hoping that he really was proud of her.


End file.
